Maastricht University

About: Maastricht University is a education organization based out in Maastricht, Limburg, Netherlands. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Health care. The organization has 19263 authors who have published 53291 publications receiving 2266866 citations. The organization is also known as: Universiteit Maastricht & UM.

Childhood abuse as a risk factor for psychotic experiences.

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To examine the hypothesis that individuals from the general population who report childhood abuse are at increased risk of developing positive psychotic symptoms. METHOD: Data were derived from a general population sample of 4045 subjects aged 18-64 years. First ever onset of positive psychotic symptoms at 2-year follow-up were assessed using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview and additional clinical interviews if necessary. Childhood abuse was assessed at baseline. RESULTS: Baseline reported childhood abuse predicted development of positive psychotic symptoms associated with need for care [odds ratio (OR) = 11.5, 95% CI 2.6-51.6]. This association remained after adjustment for demographic variables, reported risk factors and presence of any lifetime psychiatric diagnosis at baseline (OR = 7.3, 95% CI 1.1-49.0). CONCLUSION: The results suggest that early childhood trauma increases the risk for positive psychotic symptoms. This finding fits well with recent models that suggest that early adversities may lead to psychological and biological changes that increase psychosis vulnerability. Language: en

Common genetic variants influence human subcortical brain structures.

Abstract: The highly complex structure of the human brain is strongly shaped by genetic influences. Subcortical brain regions form circuits with cortical areas to coordinate movement, learning, memory and motivation, and altered circuits can lead to abnormal behaviour and disease. To investigate how common genetic variants affect the structure of these brain regions, here we conduct genome-wide association studies of the volumes of seven subcortical regions and the intracranial volume derived from magnetic resonance images of 30,717 individuals from 50 cohorts. We identify five novel genetic variants influencing the volumes of the putamen and caudate nucleus. We also find stronger evidence for three loci with previously established influences on hippocampal volume and intracranial volume. These variants show specific volumetric effects on brain structures rather than global effects across structures. The strongest effects were found for the putamen, where a novel intergenic locus with replicable influence on volume (rs945270; P = 1.08 × 10(-33); 0.52% variance explained) showed evidence of altering the expression of the KTN1 gene in both brain and blood tissue. Variants influencing putamen volume clustered near developmental genes that regulate apoptosis, axon guidance and vesicle transport. Identification of these genetic variants provides insight into the causes of variability in human brain development, and may help to determine mechanisms of neuropsychiatric dysfunction.

A novel algorithm for reliable detection of human papillomavirus in paraffin embedded head and neck cancer specimen.

Abstract: Human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV16) plays a role in the development of a subgroup of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC). However, uncertainty exists about the true impact of HPV in this tumor type as conflicting reports have been published with prevalence rates from 0 to 100%. We aimed to find a detection algorithm of a biologically and thus clinically meaningful infection, applicable for high-throughput screening of frozen and formalin-fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) specimens. By considering detection of HPV E6 oncogene expression in frozen biopsies as gold standard for a meaningful HPV infection, the value of several assays was evaluated on FFPE tumor specimens and sera of 48 HNSCC patients. The following assays were evaluated on FFPE tissue samples: HPV DNA general primer (GP)5+/6+ PCR, viral load analysis, HPV16 DNA FISH detection, HPV16 E6 mRNA RT-PCR, p16 immunostaining, and on corresponding serum samples detection of antibodies against the HPV16 proteins L1, E6 and E7. Comparing single assays on FFPE tissue samples detection of E6 expression by RT-PCR was superior, but application remains at present limited to HPV16 detection. Most suitable algorithm with 100% sensitivity and specificity appeared p16 immunostaining followed by GP5+/6+ PCR on the p16-positive cases. We show that clinically meaningful viral HPV infections can be more reliably measured in FFPE HNSCC samples in a standard and high throughput manner, paving the way for prognostic and experimental vaccination studies, regarding not only HNSCC, but possibly also cancer types with HPV involvement in subgroups such as penile and anal cancer.

Circulating MicroRNA-208b and MicroRNA-499 Reflect Myocardial Damage in Cardiovascular Disease

Abstract: Background— Small RNA molecules, called microRNAs, freely circulate in human plasma and correlate with varying pathologies In this study, we explored their diagnostic potential in a selection of prevalent cardiovascular disorders Methods and Results— MicroRNAs were isolated from plasmas from well-characterized patients with varying degrees of cardiac damage: (1) acute myocardial infarction, (2) viral myocarditis, (3) diastolic dysfunction, and (4) acute heart failure Plasma levels of selected microRNAs, including heart-associated (miR-1, -133a, -208b, and -499), fibrosis-associated (miR-21 and miR-29b), and leukocyte-associated (miR-146, -155, and -223) candidates, were subsequently assessed using real-time polymerase chain reaction Strikingly, in plasma from acute myocardial infarction patients, cardiac myocyte–associated miR-208b and -499 were highly elevated, 1600-fold ( P <0005) and 100-fold ( P <00005), respectively, as compared with control subjects Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed an area under the curve of 094 ( P <10−10) for miR-208b and 092 ( P <10−9) for miR-499 Both microRNAs correlated with plasma troponin T, indicating release of microRNAs from injured cardiomyocytes In viral myocarditis, we observed a milder but significant elevation of these microRNAs, 30-fold and 6-fold, respectively Plasma levels of leukocyte-expressed microRNAs were not significantly increased in acute myocardial infarction or viral myocarditis patients, despite elevated white blood cell counts In patients with acute heart failure, only miR-499 was significantly elevated (2-fold), whereas no significant changes in microRNAs studied could be observed in diastolic dysfunction Remarkably, plasma microRNA levels were not affected by a wide range of clinical confounders, including age, sex, body mass index, kidney function, systolic blood pressure, and white blood cell count Conclusions— Cardiac damage initiates the detectable release of cardiomyocyte-specific microRNAs-208b and -499 into the circulation